Project DIGIMON
by EmeraldMoonChild
Summary: AU. What started off as 8 children trained into deadly assassins, D.I.G.I.M.O.N has ever had. Has turned into them being lost in a tide of mind-games, crimes, power struggles and training the next generation. But they'll also have to face the very demons that made them turn to D.I.G.I.M.O.N.
1. Chapter 1

**Project D.I.G.I.M.O.N**

**Summary- **_**AU**__. What started off as 8 children trained into deadly assassins, D.I.G.I.M.O.N has ever had. Has turned into them being lost in a tide of mind-games, crimes, power struggles and training the next generation. But they'll also have to face the very demons that made them turn to D.I.G.I.M.O.N._

Disclaimer-I don't own DIGIMON.

**Chapter One- ****Enter: Yuuki and Chishiki**

October, 14th 1992 -Agugato.

It was a dark night veiled in a fierce rainstorm in the coal mining town of Agugato. Everyone had shut themselves away to avoid being covered in coal ash and wet mud, all but two dark figures. No one saw running through the back alleyways with a beat down bag in tow.

Normally, no one in Agugato would be found outside at night, not since two years ago. Before a man named Machinedra came into the picture. He was a ruthless, tech-savvy dictator with a vision of making Agugato the base of his future technical Ethiopia. He tormented the townsfolk and controlled what came in and out of Agugato.

Medicine. Food. Trades. Agugato became a fenced in doggy town, with raids that killed adults and children alike. The town had more orphans then they did housing. He installed curfews, he enforced with his own hired "law-force" and he allowed criminals to make base in the town as long as they respected technology as much as he did.

During the short hours in the day when Machinedra allowed his citizens to mingle with little fear. They would turn their heads away from the orphans, who had lost their families to Machinedra's earlier raids when he secured himself as the town's mayor. Other adults could be found beating the orphans that had been caught sneaking their hands in the food market.

And as the fierce rainstorm sent strong winds through the empty streets, and alleyways; two dainty little boys took their chance to duck around covered in the coal ash and mud. They were just a couple of the unwanted and homeless orphans, littering Agugato. The normal patrolling criminal "law-force" avoided being outside this particular cold night, so the two boys were safe to run in the cover of night.

The taller of the two was an 11-year old cheeky street punk, with more brawn then brain; Taichi Yagami. With the handful of years living on the streets, his jaded deep brown eyes surveyed the landscape as he nudged the boy beside him and shifted the smaller body on his back ever so slightly.

The small body that was perched on Taichi's back was covered in an over sized wet coat and coal ash stained scarf that once was a soft shade of pink. Muffled coughs were drowned out by the whistling wind. The small body looked up for a moment, a pair of drowsy hazel eyes peeked over Taichi's shoulder to watch the rain furiously crash onto the pavement. Small, tender hands covered in coal ash tried to tighten around Taichi but only felt numbed from the cold fall weather.

The small body was Taichi's 7-year old sister Hikari Yagami, she was a gentle sweetheart orphan with weak health. She was targeted, once upon a time, by other orphans who thought they could use her to get to Taichi. Although they learned quickly enough that Taichi's normal strength over them, doubled when you threatened Hikari. She was Taichi's sole family, and his treasured light in the darkness that Machinedra brought upon Agugato.

The boy beside him was 10-year old boy named Koushiro Izumi. He had been part of the neighboring welding town of Tento. When Machinedra came to Agugato, a small time brainiac criminal named Vade wanted to appeal into his territory and made it big by taking control of Tento and even handing over child labor force for the mines of Agugato.

Vade discovered soon enough that Koushiro was practically a prodigy, and possibly possessed a better brain then even he did. So needless to say, Koushiro was one of the first orphans sent off. Unfortunately for Vade though, Koushiro's quicker mind and wits allowed him to escape the bandwagon and finding himself running right into the Yagami siblings.

"Kari. Keep your head down." ordered Taichi as he rushed behind a couple of the emptied market stalls. He turned his gaze towards Koushiro who shifted the bag he was entrusted to carry. Time was ticking, the storm was lessening which meant that Machinedra's men would soon come out to beat around anyone out after curfew. No exceptions to those without a home to hide into either.

Feeling Hikari duck her head back down, Taichi shifted the end of the stained scarf he had salvaged a week prior for her, back over his shoulder. He nudged Koushiro again and the two splattered swiftly through. They ran out of the main streets and to the edge of the town's borders that held tall fences with barbed wire ontop to keep Agugato citizens in.

Taichi slowed down and leaned into the side of the rattling fence as he set down a coughing Hikari.

"Shh...hopefully the stuff we snatched can help you."

Koushiro was panting heavily from the run, but despite the ache from the exercise, he ruffled through the bag. Going through the many labelled bottles they had snatched from one of Machinedra's top criminal _Metal-Ete_'s warehouses.

A former small time criminal like Vade. Metal-Ete was a black belt martial artist gone wrong with the smarts to win Machinedra's favor. With the look of_ 'Elvis meets punk'_, he didn't look or act the part but he wasn't someone that any citizen in Agugato with sense would want to mess with. Any other town, he'd be considered a criminal with an illegal whorehouse. But in this town, he was the man living the life in his stripper-karaoke bar.

It was only Taichi and Koushiro's luck, that Taichi had gone against Metal-Ete, when he refused to hand over Hikari as a "promising star" to his business. While Koushiro handed a small liquid bottle to Taichi, he recalled how they had avoided the adults after the defiant refusal. In Agugato, whoever could _'take Hikari from Taichi', _would win Metal-Ete's favor.

Hikari gave a small gag and coughed heavily at the liquid Taichi made her consume.

"Just a little bit more Kari..." Taichi tried to soothe his baby sister as Koushiro looked over the broken down crates by the rattling fence they resided inbetween.

"Just the mountains of coal...I think we got out of the main square unspotted Taichi." The relief in Koushiro's tone was obvious as he sat back under their make shift cover. Koushiro's black eyes watched as Hikari fell into a slumber in Taichi's arms and as the rain finally lessened, and the storm past by Agugato.

"We have to get out of this hell-hole." Taichi's tone was not his usual happy-go-lucky facade, he often kept in front of Hikari, it was the serious Taichi. The dangerous one. Koushiro knew that other orphans didn't dare mess with; and the one he usually saw when Taichi chose to do something that would change everything. Like when he told Metal-Ete to _"Drop dead in an electric malfunction in the sun's core!"_

Taichi, often found his creative muse at the wrong moments.

Needless to say, its why Taichi sported more bruises then usual, and why Koushiro was hiding during the day with Hikari now that Metal-Ete had a reward on her head.

"...What about that Mr. Andro? The one who came a couple of days ago, he seems...nice. And he's only on that visitors pass. Maybe we can hitch a ride out of Arugato." Koushiro thought of the tall skin-headed mammoth of a man with the grey trench coat that hid the rifles he carried. He was the only adult who bothered to help Hikari when she had fallen in front of Metal-Ete's pathway a couple of days ago.

"Mr. Andro? ...The man with those hi-tech specs he clearly got from that perverted competitor of Metal-Ete's? That stupid ...Dat-Guy? It's his logo on them." Taichi didn't look like he took Koushiro seriously, if anything when he was in serious mode he often made others feel like boys playing grown up.

" ..." Koushiro sighed as he fixed Hikari's hair. He may have only known the Yagami siblings for a couple of months, but he had grown to care for them. They had his back, and he had theirs. Taichi didn't use him for his brains, but he sure knew how to thank him for it.

"But this isn't about Mr. Data, he isn't into girls Hikari's age. He likes girls your age or higher...but the point is, if we appeal to Mr. Andro...maybe we'll never have to worry about Arugato or Tento again. We'll be far away."

Taichi weighed Koushiro's suggestion as he recalled Hikari thanking Mr. Andro, and his almost mechanical response to her. It could work, but Taichi just wanted to run. Away from Metal-Ete, from Machinedra's territory, from Arugato who didn't five a damn about them. And from Mr. Andro, who could offer salvation to Hikari and Koushiro. But would he be able to keep the three of them together?

Taichi didn't have a chance to keep contemplating the choices pro's and con's when he suddenly heard gunfire and shouts not to far from the coal mine entrance that the trio hid by. Koushiro's eyes widen as he took off for cover taking the drowsy Hikari to hide behind old forgotten crates.

Taichi out of forced habit picked up the bag of stolen medicine and packaged food and turned to follow but something told him, he should see what was occurring. And he did.

Ignoring Koushiro's desperate whispers to come back, Taichi took off past the coal piles to witness what the situation was about. He could hear his heartbeat pumping, could feel the natural adrenaline of fear kick in. It would just be his luck to lose his head for his damn curiosity coming up at the wrong time.

Looking to the gun scene, he watched as Mr. Andro fired at Metal-Ete's men. His rifles where large, the man clearly had trigger finger syndrome.

With adrenaline coursing through him at the sight and sounds of the gunfire and explosions. Taichi watched Mr. Andro's back up swarm out of the large pick up truck not to far and how the turf war began in front of his eyes.

"That's it!" Taichi turned to sprint back to Koushiro and Hikari. They wouldn't have to beg their way out of Arugato! They'd stowaway! Moving swiftly, he ignored Koushiro's scowl and picked up Hikari onto his back. The very same way he had self-taught himself to do, when her illness first manifested during the nights the patrol had caught them out past curfew.

"What are you thinking! Where are we going?!" Koushiro was never a big fan on Taichi's more rambunctious ploys.

"Just come on!" Snapped Taichi, as he shoved the bag of ill gotten goods to Koushiro and mad dashed in a wide arch to the large trucks Mr. Andro and his men would no doubt, soon make there own getaway in. Koushiro ducked his head every time he heard a gunfire too close for comfort, the boys made it undetected to the truck.

Koushiro jumped with slight difficulty to the high placed platform of the vehicle, and turned around to assist Hikari's smaller form being lifted onto the truck.

"Quick, take her to the back!" Taichi ordered as he began to climb onto the truck's high platform. While Koushiro wasted no time in securing himself and Hikari to hide behind some of the larger crates filled with weaponry.

"PULL BACK! COME ON!"

Taichi got on just as he heard the shouted orders and before he could turn around, or even duck behind anything. A sharp pain pierced the back of his head, and his world turned black.

-Two Hours Later- October, 15th 1992 -Netserve City

_"-Machinedra's contacted the Dark Masters. It's clearly war!"_

_"Well, with three new recruits, and their native to that place..."_

_"It was always been a risk, but we should take i-"_

_"Agent Gennai! We are not saviors!"_

_"We train killers, I know. But this would be a bigger motivat-"_

_"It's manipulation, we may share an enemy. But they could turn on us just as easily!"_

Taichi felt a sharp throbbing in the back of his head as he awoke to the sound of bickering adults. He kept his eyes closed as he listened onto their muffled words, as he tried to recall his last memories.

_'Gunfire...Koushiro! HIKARI!'_

Without a second thought, Taichi's frantic deep brown eyes snapped open only to see Hikari passed out to his right, and Koushiro to his left. Taichi let out a breathe he hadn't realized he was holding as he put a hand to the back of his head and suppressed the urge to flinch at the tender bruise that his wild mane of hair hid.

"Oi. Shut up, the bigger brat's awake."

Taichi's eyes widened as he turned slightly to look behind him, only to see a man very unlike Mr. Andro. He wasn't a skin headed mammoth of a man who seemed to have a trigger finger for those large rifles he had seen him use during the mild territory war he had witnessed.

He was much shorter, maybe the height of an average woman. He had a messy mop of light red hair, Taichi would've called it _salmon pink _if the man's violet-black eyes hadn't looked so dangerous in their slightly slanted glare at the group of men he had spoken to.

Suddenly Taichi wished he hadn't even been caught awake, with the way multiple sets of eyes from tall and dangerous looking men had zoned in on him.

_'And to think, I thought we could stowaway undetected...'_

"Mind your words, they're children. Pixi!" barked a man with dark red hair that had navy highlights mixed in, it was surprisingly long, reaching the ends of his shoulder blades. It was the longest Taichi ever seen a man have anyways. Taichi merely watched as the shorter man snorted and leaned against the nearest pillar whipping around a long metal pipe like a child would a large stick, during play.

"Stop staring, you creeps. Hikari needs a bed and Koushiro isn't awake. Did you knock him out like barbarians too?" If Koushiro were awake, he'd have winced at Taichi's lack of tack. As he got up to stand tall, despite his much shorter stature to the men around. He stood in an angle to keep Koushiro and Hikari behind him, while he challenged the men with his jaded deep brown eyes.

Pixi's black eyes looked away from his metal pipe he toyed with, to Taichi's face and gave a small smirk at his display.

_'Defiant. Perfect.'_

The man with red and navy hair just scowled slightly at Taichi's expression. Just as he stepped forward, Mr. Andro's hand stopped him.

"You see Elec? Agent Gennai is right. He's got the right type of stuff to be here." Letting Elec go, Mr. Andro walked up to Taichi and nodded at him.

"We will help your friends out. While doing so, perhaps allow Agent Gennai and Pixi here to accompany you, with a few suggestions." Once again Taichi was unimpressed with Mr. Andro's mechanical tone, like a rehearsed speech that lost its edge.

Taichi turned his gaze to a tall man with brown hair in a rat's tail hairdo, who wore white robes as if he were a cross between a priest and a scientist.

"Like I have a choice."

October, 16th 1992 -Netserve City

Taichi sat in a chair placed beside Hikari's bedside as he toyed with the sun pendant given to him the other night by Gennai.

"The symbol of Courage...They want me to be their weapon...No...want us..." Taichi glared heavily at the sun medallion he dropped and felt it lightly hit his chest now that it hung around his neck.

Hikari opened her hazel eyes, her cheeks no longer a light shade of pink from fighting the fever and looked up to Taichi.

"They said we could free our old home from Machinedra." Taichi's darker eyes glances over to Hikari, a part of him cursing his sisters good heart.

"Only you would think of helping them after the way they treated us." Koushiro muttered as he glanced at the necklace Pixi had purposely put in Hikari's hand.

It had done its trick the night before, waking her up and making sure neither Koushiro or Taichi took it away from her. They were both irritated the way her eyes had lit up, with the offer they received, being extended towards Hikari.

Hikari sat up slightly as she gave them a weak smile and eyed the soft pink medallion in her hand. Before turning her gaze to the plum purple medallion that hung around Koushiro's neck. She gave a tiny pout when Koushiro purposely put the medallion underneath his collar.

"My necklace symbol is like my name right? Hikari...Light." Hikari looked up at her brother, and Koushiro, the boy who was as close to her as her real brother.

"These symbols, are they our new names? Mine is already Hikari though...I can't call you Tai? Or you Koushiro?" Hikari's face began to look worried, as she misunderstood everything new that was occurring.

"Hikari, it's not our new names. Tai's is a '_Yuuki'_ symbol, also known as a symbol for _'Courage'. _Just like you were named after the symbol of light. _'Hikari'. _Understand?"

"Then what is yours, Koushiro?" Hikari tilted her head, letting the longer chestnut strands of her boy cut hair fall off her hazel eyes.

"It's the '_Chishiki'_ symbol." Koushiro lightly ran a hand through his red-brown hair and when he turned his onyx gaze back to Hikari, he couldn't hep but give her a light hearted smile at her expression.

"It means Knowledge." Koushiro and Hikari both turned to look at Taichi, who had turned away with a small flush to his face.

"I know stuff too you know." Taichi moved to sit by the window as Hikari and Koushiro shared a laugh at his expense.

As he did, Taichi thoughts ran back to the early days of Machinedra's reign, the reason he said yes to Agent Gennai and Pixi.

_'The sound of his men hoisting up those rattling fences, that did nothing but make them feel like caged animals. The sting in his clenched fists from the barbed wires when he, along with the many 'stubborn fools' tried to climb over. With the beatings shortly after and for what, some brainless __**courage **__to go against Machinedra's men? The cries of Hikari when their parents where shot dead among so many other innocent people. The sharp pain on his face, from the first hit he got from the townsfolk. When they began to turn selfish. Taichi remembered it all, and all he could see in his mind, was his younger version. The young boy who'd once been warm and loving self, turned cold, hostile and jaded.'_

Koushiro tucked in Hikari, as she was still recovering from her illness, the medicine and care given by the others helped only so much. He watched her hazel eyes fall shut and her smile fading along with her conscious.

Not disturbing Taichi, Koushiro sat in the chair provided to them, and took out his own medallion once more. His gaze and mind drifting away with old thoughts.

_'His home, had been a grand welding district, its heavy lifters being just as intelligent as its book reading neighbors that surrounded all the blocks and side streets within Tento. He'd been unfortunate enough to have been born an orphan, his parents dying in a fire in one of the many welding station. Yet he was fortunate enough, to have had a couple take him in and love him as their own. Koushiro felt the guilt that his last moments with them, had been tensed with having discovered the __**knowledge**__ of not being their real child. Sadistic Vade had come into the scene, and was furious to have met Koushiro and his stronger mind. He could remember the sweat rolling down his face as he and Vade went through a board game. The lives of his family, his town, and for his fate of being a child slave in the Agugato coal mines at risk with every move. Needless to say, Vade cheated him out of it all.'_

"Welcome to D.I.G.I.M.O.N...Welcome home." mumbling in her sleep, Hikari recited the words of the trio's new predicament. Hikari always did have the ability to warm up even the darkest of Taichi's and Koushiro's thoughts with her innocence. They gave her rough smiles as Taichi awkwardly clasped the necklace around her thin neck, as she slept on.

Taichi thought of how he disliked the men he met so far, but at the same time. He was glad, that they picked them up, even if by self-made chance. Koushiro thought of how they'd get use to them, eventually. Hikari was right; it would be their new home.

"Yeah. Home." Koushiro and Taichi gave each other a knowing looks as they pushed the thoughts of training with Mr. Pixi and being tutored by others tomorrow in the backs of their minds.


	2. Chapter 2

**Project D.I.G.I.M.O.N**

Disclaimer-I don't own DIGIMON.

**Chapter Two- ****Enter: Aijou and Seijitsu**

April, 24th 1995 -Garudagoma.

11:57pm -Club _'Pyramid'_

Grey-Blue eyes hid behind messy navy black strands, that watched from a corner of the opening club. They weren't jaded, or hateful. They were a pair of matured, and submissive eyes that lowered; tasked into just blending in. They were the eyes of young 16 year old, Jo Kido.

Club Pyramid's VIP server, it really wasn't the best job. He usually got the diamond coated backhands of VIP's arm candy whenever they found something distasteful. Which seemed to be every second of their useless status. Jo was use to it, it was hardly the best thing to be use too, but he accepted it. After all, anything would be better then being _her_.

_**Her. **_Being the 14 year old amber eyed little beauty, with strawberry blonde locks, and ivory skin. Sora Takenouchi. Once upon a time, those amber toned eyes sparkled with love and happiness, surrounded by fresh lilies and forget-me-nots. Those strawberry blonde locks were a pair of long pigtails that blew in the winds under the Harbor Front's docks. The once vibrant sun kissed skin, was the outcome of hours of flirting with Garudagoma's lake beach, in all its splendid glory.

Yet, that was hardly the girl she was now. Sora's amber eyes held no sparkle. They were only hollow as she stared at the older man, who's lap she sat upon. Her once childishly worn hair, was left down to frame her face and tickle the top of her developing chest. The black tube top didn't help. And what was once skin that bared signs of sunny freedom, was forcefully painted white ivory from the many hours...no many days kept behind closed doors.

Jo turned his own grey-blue eyes away from the sight of the older man clearly enjoying himself as he felt up a _child_. His fate in humanity had always been very small, but in these moments he had to bare witness while working. He lost all fate.

Jo bared a napkin to one of the man's business like companion. He continued to keep his eyes lowered, almost shutted. Probably because he could hear the whispered chuckles, of the two older men and hear the tiny echo of a hand firmly patting_ -slapping- _Sora's rear end. As if they had to give each other ego boosts on being rich and filthy bastards.

The scene played on as such for awhile, as time went by. He could see piece by piece as Sora died more on the inside on the treatment she was forced to receive. Later into the night, Jo's eyes sharply looked up as he watched the companion leave. He quickly turned to the man that Sora still sat on, his hand had risen back up intending to give her another 'pat' in the ass.

"Ah! That hurts!" The bumbling pig began as Jo held onto his wrist with a firm grip. Calculating grey-blue slits kept a locked gaze on the wrist he held, making sure to hold it specifically. After all, one didn't study the human anatomy without knowing critical spots, to cause the similar pain that the man had caused Sora to feel.

"There is a strict rule of no hitting the escorts. A rule you have violated. I'll have to ask you to leave. Now." Jo may be young, but the reason he was stationed in the VIP, was because at the end of the day. He was deceivingly agile and used his brain when applying force to render others to follow Club Pyramid rules.

Sora's amber toned eyes didn't even widen when she felt herself being moved around like a puppet, it didn't register who it was that even moved her. She barely heard the shouts of the man who had been her newest client, she learned early on to numb herself completely. It made everything bareable. She blinked as the blurs meshed together and separated throughout it all, and suddenly there was a light, a bright light. Too bright.

April, 25th 1995 -Garudagoma.

04:02am -Club _'Pyramid'_ Head Office

"You stupid-!"

"-Motherfucking-!"

"Idiot!"

Sora felt her entire body echo a soreness she was use to, but this time she felt herself on tiled floor, so unlike the main club room floors. Something that was unfamiliar to be laid upon. Blinking open her amber eyes, she heard more curses that were followed by the slight shake of the walls and the crashing of furniture and glass.

Sora finally got off the floor and turned her head to the silhouettes behind the door leading to _his_ office. The owner to Club Pyramid.

Mr. Data Nano.

She knew his silhouette in the fogged glass, as well as she knew her own reflection. It was as if cold water had been dumped over her head, a cold sweat formed in her fear of who was on the other side other then Mr. Nano. Data was not just his usual mad self, he was livid. Taking out his anger on the figure that was probably on the ground curled in pain, as she heard the sound of Data's boots hitting a body, over and over.

Sora was seconds from hyperventilating when suddenly the beatings stopped. She sat on her knee's unable to do anything as she anticipated what was to come next. Her amber eyes watched a short man come out of the room, heavily smoking a large cigar as his own lukewarm brown eyes almost a mucky yellow stared down at her in disgust. She didn't dare breathe as the balding man, with the thick hi-tech, personally modified glasses headed past her. She felt the familiar sting of his cane hit her in the small of her back.

"Get him out of here before I use my good leg to kick his feeble brain in!"

Sora hitched her breathe as she swiftly got up and ran from those murky eyes of his. Entering his office, her chest felt sunken at the sight of the beat up form of Jo. Quickly stepping over to him with the gentle tapping of her ballet flats on the marble floor, she went down on her knee's to move some of his messy black navy hair. Obviously having been pulled a couple of times roughly by the tiny hiss for lightly brushing a hand near his head.

"Your a real idiot, no one told you to stand up for me. Anyone who pays is considered an irreplaceable client to Data." Sora never understood why out of everyone she had met while being Data Nano's ward, that Jo Kido felt he had to protect her to the best of his abilities.

"You'll die one day if you keep it up." She previously had many speeches about him giving up on her salvation and running for the hills.

"Funny...I could say the same about you." Sora's amber eyes froze in place as they looked into the grey-blue eyes that peeked out from his navy hair, piercing and relentless to let her escape the truth of her own fate.

If there was one thing she had to hate about Jo; and no, not the common dislike of his good nature in protecting whatever virtue she had left; or even his need to play the reliable hero. What she hated, was how he made her feel, like she was trying to outrun the rain. Those eyes of his could have past off as murky waters, she had drunken when Data was being exceptionally cruel to her.

And running, was all she could do.

"Sora!" Jo struggled to get up as Sora ran out of the office and hearing the slamming of the closed club's doors, he knew she had left the building too.

April, 27th 1995 -Garudagoma.

01:15pm -Harbor Front

The sound of crashing waves beating against rocks echoed, the lake's beach was deserted during the wet season, no one wanted wet sand...no, wet clay stuck to them. How long had it been since she had stood in the harbor front? Tears rolling down silently, as memories of younger days clouded her mind.

_'She was just twelve; kicking the soccer ball with the university professor, her father. While her mother waved from afar on a picnic blanket, surrounded by the fresh lilies. She'd never forget the sand and grass stains on her father's clothes as he taught her a couple of tricks in keeping the ball. She'd never, not remember the pearl white dress her mother was in, she might as well have been a lily herself. As she had kept to being off the lake beach and under the greenery close by. Everything was perfect that faithful spring day, picture perfect. So obviously, it had to be destroyed.' _

Sora sat on the clay like sand, continuing to watch the waves and ignoring the early spring chilling winds. Even as they left goosebumps up and down her petite form. Memories of pearl white dresses, torn dirty and crinkling against the blue tarp of a coroner's bag. Plagued her mind until she wanted to scream. Black barked tree's lay waste behind her, no one bothered to keep up with the greenery after the "family killing" that took place in it. Sora kept her hands over her head trying to block out the onslaught of memories.

_'An escaped convict had targeted the Takenouchi's family day. She only knew his street name as '__**Lil'Devi**__', the man who killed her parents in cold blood. They were just 'in the way'. Innocent Sora died that night with her family. She had been sent to the orphanage, and adopted by Mr. Data Nano. A hi-tech genius, with no love for anything but money and revenge for his own sworn business competitor, some "Metal-Monkey Joke". He saw how his unique and perverted clients had looked at her. Hell, he had planned on it. He made sure that she knew, their was no such thing as '__**love**__' for someone like her. She was born to be used and abused.'_

Funny thing about cruel lies like that, repeated long enough, even after two years. You'll start to believe it yourself. Dried up, brown and crunching leaves could be heard behind Sora, as she whipped her head around, her tears flew behind her, as she stared at the person that had come to pick her up. Jo; in all his bandaged up glory stared at her with a weak smile.

"Funny thing about you...Data always says you look perfect...but I know the truth." Jo slid to sit beside her as he took on his role of 'big brother'.

"That your riddled with imperfections." Sora stared at him, the nightly abuse always took its toll on her, the manifested guilt, that she was the reason Jo got hurt every time. Everything Data crammed into her head, left her a mess of imperfections, and it seemed only Jo was willing to remind her, it was okay to be human.

She's not a doll. Too bad, atleast then she'd have an excuse to not be able to love.

Jo watched as she internally shut down, could feel the small weight lean against his shoulder. His thoughts ran back to when he was first employed _-blackmailed_- into working for Data Nano. He noticed the pretty little girl, he remembered her picture in the paper months ago, a family shooting. She was dressed in clothes not meant for her, and always in the company of adult men who should never be touching her that way.

Sometimes, when he was left alone, he'd make sure to meet up with her. She use to be so cold and aloof with him, almost as if to drive everyone who could possibly care away. Yet, at times like these, she seemed like a helpless little girl, and every once in awhile, and she'd deny it to death, she would get the tenderest -_loving_- expression on her face.

Her predicament had always sickened him. So he made it his own mission, to play big brother, to be her pillar, her reliable emotional pillar. After all, it was what he was good at, and he'd be damned if he didn't play his cards right this time around.

_'Jo had been born in a family of inspiring doctors, even his two older brothers and himself were expected to be doctors. It was a high expectation. It was tradition. Jo should have known something was wrong though. His brother Shuu, the middle child was fidgeting non-stop lately. Always tensed, snapping at eldest Shin, and himself constantly. Jo was "just a kid", so his concerns fell on deaf ears with his parents. Shin though, shared his keen observations and as Jo heard his brothers tussle into a juvenile fight one night, while their parents worked the ER; he snuck into Shin's room. Unlike Shin and himself, Shuu struggled to be the doctor the Kido's were infamous for, his talents bordered onto hacking._

_"That idiot" He had cursed in a low voice, Jo was going through his brother's laptop with dismay growing in him. The fool had hacked into a high security network. A 'dark network', and from what he could see, far more talented hackers then Shuu had noticed him, because an alert of "Metal-Seadra" was glowing an unconcealed threat._

_Jo was hardly a hacker, he was just a medical student. Yet he typed away furiously at the keyboard. Trying to conceal Shuu's predicament. Suddenly he found the only thing he knew about advance computers, a loop-hole. A passing hacker. "Datamon"._

_Needless to say, it was his downfall that 'Datamon' was non too happy at his little ploy. One day, while everyone was out, he had heard the doorbell. Answering it, he had been punched down by an older man, balding and with cruel lukewarm brown eyes, that could pass off as murky yellow. They glared angrily at him, this was the face behind 'Datamon'. Realizing his predicament, and being unable to admit that it was Shuu, that wanted and not him. He had been forced into working for the man. His parents had thought he had turned his back on the family. Shin followed them, turning their backs on Jo. While Shuu could only stare in horror at what he had caused and reluctantly turned his back on Jo 'the Kido outcast'. Yet he never told them why he did it. Doing it for his family. He'd shoulder the responsibility, he was a Kido. He had to be __**reliable**__.'_

Jo gave a deep sigh, he turned his grey-blue eyes to a figure not to far from his sitting form, and the sleeping Sora.

"I think...I'll take you up on that offer now. If she comes that is. Because I won't be leaving her in this horrid place."

The hooded figure didn't sprout a single word but merely left, the small sound of chains being dropped could be heard. Out of experience in dealing with the hooded figure, Jo turned his head to his side, so not to disturb Sora. His arm reached out and picked up two silver chains with different symboled pendants on each end.

"The symbol's of _Aijou _and _Seijitsu_ huh? Never knew they had a sense of irony." Jo shifted ever so slightly to place the _Aijou_ pendant around Sora's neck.

"Now you can always wear 'love' on you." The tiny humor didn't reach Jo's eyes as he pocketed his own pendant.

_"Do not forget Mr. Kido. D.I.G.I.M.O.N is a curse one must be prepared to kill for." _That is what the hooded man had told him when they had first interacted. Jo had never been so sure, since the day he was forced to bare witness to so many despicable acts, that Data Nano was responsible for.

"Reliability...sounds like a bigger curse." Jo got up, with the sleeping Sora in his arms, as he took them out of Nano's reach, and away from the haunting memories of Garudagoma.


	3. Chapter 3

**Project D.I.G.I.M.O.N**

Disclaimer-I don't own DIGIMON.

**Chapter Three- ****Enter: The Lost Ones**

July, 04th 1998 -City of Pagabuta

09:45pm -District _'Paltoge'_

A feminine figure sped through the darkening streets swiftly, in a blind run and ignoring the odd bumps into the dwindling citizens, and the aching pain throbbing from her rib-cage. She turned another corner, only to feel her heart drop. It was a dead end.

"I'm impressed, you were once incapable of putting up quite the little chase of cat and mouse. You ought to be proud of yourself."

A masculine voice was low, a bass voice that gave no hint of the half hour chase that he had invoked. She could feel him hover behind her, trapping her. His breathe hitting the back of her neck, making her even more tense. While wishing she had undone the stupid bun, giving him this leverage of intimidation.

"Why don't you be a good girl, and come back with me."

Her slightly shaking hands, clenched into fists at his words. The same words she had heard before, the irony was hardly missed by her. Which left the intimidation of danger, turn into sparking, angry intimacy between the two bodies.

"There is nothing for you out there. I. No, we on the other hand, can offer you the world."

It was silent; he waited almost patiently for her response to his tempting words. Secretly hoping she wouldn't let her stubborn side out, and reject the offer.

"I pity how low you have fallen."

She watched his eyes narrow dangerously close to resemble the uncaring abuser, _-not that it was far from the truth nowadays,-_ and without warning. A sharp pain hit her in her torso, she coughed at the punch. Her vision begun to sport black spots. Another hit, her vision turned black.

She would later recall, if barely, an almost _desperate_ command for her compliance. He fumed at her choked whispers, and that final blow to her head, she had welcomed it.

_"Tell Trump, to look for another puppet. I'm not Takeru."_

July, 05th 1998 -City of Pagabuta

11:05am -D.M. Headquarters

The room was large and windowless, as maroon drapes hung around and the marbled floors resembled a giant chessboard. A 16 year old young woman stood before a set of steps that led up to a large structure that seated many chairs, and with few shaded figures adoring them.

With her arms pulled behind her and handcuffed, her only sense of security, not that she would ever say it, was the 17 year old man that stood along side her. She was in the court of all courts, and her biggest fear was to be realized. She was guilty.

"Mimi Tachikawa. Native to District Paltoge, and former ward of Shogun G. and Mastermind of the 'Rebellion'."

Honey eyes stared down at the chessboard marble her grey and mud covered combat boots stood upon. Mocking her. She kept her head down, letting her light golden brown hair fall over her shoulders and curtain her from the reality of what was to happen to her.

_Once upon a time, in the city of Pagabuta, which housed many individual district. Lived a large man named Shogun G. An obese ginger headed man with a flare for cigars, karaoke and small reptiles. He was the leader of District Paltoge, and was known for his young, pretty and gentle ward. Mimi Tachikawa._

_A native to the district that contributed to the city's botanical and reptilian research and production. She was raised at an early age as Shogun's ward, a little princess in his high society world. Their were no mud covered combat boots for her, only pearls, and the whitest of mary-janes. She dined with fine wines and was surrounded in rooms of obnoxious cotton candy pinks and stone hearts._

_Little Mimi, never asked why her tutor Otama instructed her never to reveal to Shogun how smart she was, among other things or why the guard outside, flinched away from her when she inquired about the enslavement of the district. Mimi only thought of the charming brothers she met while Shogun held his grand parties._

_She never wondered why Shogun was excited and praising her for befriending the two of them. After all, Jyurei's and his cousin Pinochi's wards where rumored to be hard cases to get close to. So it was only natural for 'Princess Mimi' to brighten up their stone exteriors. Not even Shogun expected the strong attachment the two had for the little imp he had under his care, along with the other men who expected the trio to be passing friends._

Mimi could feel the handcuffs digging into her wrists, as she kept her honey eyes from looking up at the figures judging her, and not daring to acknowledge the friend -_bastard-_ behind her that had put her in this predicament.

"You have been found guilty of not only assisting in bringing law back into a district of the city, but of plotting with Detective Leo Saber and his partner Orge Hunter. What do you have to say for yourself young lady?"

Mimi knew that they wouldn't let her 'crimes' go. After all, Shogun G. use to have one of the strongest holds on a district of Pagabuta. He had been furious at her for no longer turning a blind eye, to his enslavement of Mr. Geko, Otama and the rest of his men. As well as the many natives, much like her, of Paltoge District.

It was Mimi, who planned out with outside help. It was Mimi, who rallied up the natives to the rebellion that took down Shogun's position of power. And it was Mimi, that held the weapon that knocked out Shogun into his coma, while Server Cont. Agents took one of the outer districts of Pagabuta back from D.M.

_Not even Mimi knew, the betrayal she unleashed when she turned away from the brothers to help her people. Begging them to understand, why she was going have to run. Mimi never could lie to others, she was too sincere; and it was this sincerity that she used when she told the brothers that Pinochi and Jyurei were just as bad as Shogun. That it was time to pick the right side. Just as Saber and Orge had taught her by chance._

"Guilty. I stand before the Dark Masters, and in-front of Ishida, as guilty. So you can all rot with Shogun!" Mimi's honey eyes glared at the figures, and she tensed hearing the soft chuckle of one of the shaded figures.

"Ishida, dispose of her."

The man behind Mimi tensed as much as Mimi did. As he placed a hand on his belt, on top of the weapon expected to slay the bruised up 16 year old before him. Dark blue eyes looked over Mimi's petite face, memories of a younger girl with soft pink hair covered in red streaks making him flower crowns plagued his mind.

"Yamato...I pity how low you'll fall."

The 17 year old blinked once more, strands of his blonde hair fell into his eyes slightly, taking out his hand and grabbing Mimi's wrists. A clatter fell onto the marble chessboard floor. The handcuff's were off. One dark figure scowled and roughly pounded a cane in his hand down onto the ground, letting it echo in the room.

"Ishida! You were told to dispose of her. Now!"

Mimi's honey eyes widen into Yamato's dark blue ones, as he grabbed her free hand and suddenly fired up at the light fixtures above them. They crashed down swiftly, making the dark figures get up and many of them exit through a back door.

"Ishida! Do not forget where you stand! Or I will inform Trump of this betrayal!"

"Shut up Jyurei. You talk too much."

With those final words, Mimi Tachikawa escaped judgement once again.

July, 05th 1998 -City of Pagabuta

08:24pm -District _Tsuno_

"You know they'll send someone to bring you back. Your too valuable to lose."

"I know. But I couldn't be their puppet anymore though. I...needed to make Leo and Orge's sacrifice mean something."

"..."

"Like when you and Takeru accepted Jyurei and Pinochi after that bastard Elec killed Gotsu and Pumpkin...their sacrifices would mean something."

Yamato sat beside Mimi on the hill the two had snuck away to. They knew that there was no escaping D.M. so easily. He fingered the medallion he had been given by one of Jyurei's bosses when he had first been established as his ward. Jyurei often reminded him that the symbol of _**Yuujou**_ was important. That_**'friendship' **_was important. Bet he wished he hadn't said it, now that Yamato assisted with Mimi's escape from trial.

Mimi wiped her lip to reveal the cut on it had scabbed over. She turned her gaze to Yamato with a quirked eyebrow at her dear friend.

"You know, you didn't really have to knock me around so well just to pull that theatrical display."

"We can't all be as sincere as you. You know they'd have a spy tail me when I was told to bring you back, especially after the stunt you pulled."

Reaching into his pocket, Yamato looked up at the starlit sky as he tossed her a necklace with a light green pendant. He took out a pack of smokes, and lit one up as she clipped on the necklace she had deeply hated being apart from.

"Thank you."

"Takeru was the one who took care of it."

Mimi only smiled at his words, as she gazed forward, seeing a small boy run up to them from the corner of her eyes. Mimi quickly stood up and ran over to him.

Yamato's dark blue eyes watched as Mimi hugged his 13 year old brother. Takeru Takaishi. He watched as Mimi mothered his younger brother, and turned his gaze to the smoke he blew out from his lips.

_It was more then 10 years ago, when Yamato and Takeru's parents had split up. They had all lived in a small homey town called Hajimari no Machi. Yamato had told his mother to take Takeru and that he wished to leave with his father. His mother had no problem bolting out of town and out of his life with his infant brother. His father on the other hand, had stupidly landed himself far from Hajimari no Machi as a lackey to a crime boss in the city of Pagabuta, district Tsuno. Yamato had grown up with nothing but violence. The only thing he did was climb up the ladder his father had desperately tried to do, until he found himself meeting two older boys. _

_Gotsu and the other boy who liked to be called Pumpkin. The trio were inseparable, they were his first real friends. Childish compared to himself, it was with their subtle emotional support that helped him move away from the gutter, and away from the path that lead to his father's small time death. Gotsu and Pumpkin helped him look for his mother and brother._

_The search had led them to File Isle Corp. His mother had worked for a shady man known as 'Black Gear Devi' in the underworld. Yamato had arrived in time with Gotsu and Pumpkin to watch fire envelop the large corporation building that he was to reunite in with his mother and brother. _

_Only later, did he learn that, his younger brother Takeru, then 9 years old, had snuck into the building's top floor and set arson upon File Isle Corp. Takeru had bared witness to B.G. Devi killing his mother and many others in a temper tantrum and had sought vengeance for his actions. Despite the large flames, Pumpkin had said it perfectly that File Isle Corp. looked like it was being purified then it was being burned._

_With Takeru being reunited to him; the brothers, Gotsu and Pumpkin had gone back to the city of Pagabuta. Before they could enter District Tsuno, they had stumbled into a turf warring group of criminals and Yamato and Takeru watched as a tall man with red hair and navy highlights shot Gotsu and Pumpkin._

_In a fit of rage, Yamato moved to attack the man who had killed them, only to be stopped by an older looking gentleman who had lifted his cane to reveal a hidden pistol that made the murderer flee. It was then that Yamato Ishida and Takeru Takaishi met Jyurei and Pinochi, and joined the D.M._

_Yamato had researched long and hard until he discovered his friends murderer was Elec Primvill, and a former mayor to Hajimari no Machi. As he played his part and was trained by Jyurei in the art of killing. He met Mimi Tachikawa, the pretty little ward of the Wood Cousin's supplier of botanical and reptilian based poisons. Takeru took to her as a 'big sister' or 'mother' despite her dyed pink hair with red streaks, and her un-natural view to violence being 'normal servitude punishment' he took to her just as Takeru had. _

Perhaps, he should've seen more into the D.M.'s most sinister board member, Pied Trump's actions. Making Mimi give Takeru and himself the medallions they wore, expecting him to fall for the shining **sincerity **in her honey eyes, or the fact he was personally ordered to go out and retrieve her after she had gone and made trouble years later with forming a rebellion and attempting to flee Shogun G.'s territory.

Yamato's gaze left the smoke he exhaled into the night sky and returned to his 'family'. Takeru had fallen asleep holding onto Mimi like a child seeking comfort from a mother. Mimi held onto Takeru as if she were scared to lose him to the D.M. or maybe the world in general. Yamato could only sit beside them and toss his black suit jacket over their sleeping forms. His thoughts going to how he would have to convince Pied Trump, to give Mimi a second chance. To let her back in, without the price on her head.

_'I'll figure it out tomorrow...'_

Dark-blue eyes shut closed as he snaked his arms around Mimi's waist and felt Takeru's slow breathing in between the semi-embrace he shared with the two of them.

* * *

**A/N: _Just like to thank those that favorite and review. Much appreciated :) Also. Yes, I have taken some liberties with appearances, call it 'romanticizing _****_features' or what not, but mainly because alot of it is based on old memory when it was written and I don't feel like changing it now. XD Sorry for the very slow updates, I do plan to continue this story it has not been forgotten! Just don't want to rush and ruin what I have planned for the main events. Again, thanks for the follows, and patience. :)_**


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